Our Vision

Worshiping Community–All of life is worship

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Psalm 100:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Psalm 24:1

We were created to worship—to live in a good and right covenantal relationship with God. In worship, we rehearse God’s covenant story with his people. Worship is a dialogue and a communion with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In worship, we respond to what God has done, is doing, and will do, in our life. On Sundays we gather, as a community in Jesus, to celebrate and listen to God’s word for our lives. We are changed as we encounter God in corporate worship. But worship is not limited to Sundays only. In our jobs, in our homes, in our relationships, worship continues throughout the week in all we do. Since we live in God’s presence, wherever we are—worship happens in all we do. The worship we engage in on Sunday is just a communal extension of the worship that happens throughout the week.

Discipling Community–Becoming more like Jesus

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he commissioned his disciples to follow his lead, to go bring others to Jesus, thereby making more disciples. Discipling means following Jesus, growing and becoming more like him in thought, word and deed. Discipling also means growing and producing new disciples; developing and utilizing the spiritual gifts God gives to all his children. A discipling community is one that holds people accountable to their confession of Jesus, a community that both encourages, challenges, and disciplines when necessary—always with the common goal of our sanctification in mind. A discipling community is not limited by boundaries of age, sex, or race, but includes all who confess the name of Jesus, both young and old, men and
women, from every tribe, language and nation.

Missional Community—demonstrating and declaring God’s love

“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’” Matthew 6:9-10

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. As a community centered on Jesus, and his redemptive mission for this world, we are sent into the world to “show and tell” the good news about Jesus locally and globally, both here in Anchorage and to the “ends of the earth”. 2 Corinthians 5:20

We are called to pour out God’s love and to seek first his righteousness, through engaging with the broken and lost of our city, our state, and our world. As salt and light, we are called to live out the gospel’s truth in our daily lives, distributing grace to the broken world around us. As we have been blessed to receive God’s good gifts, the greatest gift being Jesus, God himself, we are sent to share and distribute those gifts to the world around us, to the praise and glory of God.

Partnering Community—joining others in doing good

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.” Titus 3:14

“This, then, is how you should pray: ” ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ Matthew 6:9-10

God is at work throughout the world, in many ways, both inside the church and outside the church. We seek to open our eyes to see where God is working, and, to the best of our ability, join in his work. Throughout the Bible, God’s heart for the “least of these” reveals his care and love for those suffering from injustice, brokenness and sin. We seek to join with others to bring God’s kingdom, to expose and destroy injustice, repenting where need be, proclaiming and calling people to the God’s kingdom righteousness. We hope to accomplish this by working with various community organizations and groups, seeking to bring God’s good news to a broken and hurting world.

Diverse community—embracing people of all backgrounds

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:26-28

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 1 Corinthians 12:12:13

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Revelation 7:9-10

God’s vision in Revelation gives us a picture of the community in heaven we seek to reflect. God’s kingdom is one that seeks to destroy dividing walls between people. As God has created diversity, we seek to embrace men, women and children of all races, ethnic groups, nationalities,socioeconomic groups, gifts and abilities. We hope to reflect a diverse community through intentional relationships, welcoming and inclusive hospitality, and leadership development.

Focused leadership community—developing vision soaked servant leaders

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of
God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

While God has gifted some to be specific leaders in his church, there is a general sense in which all of God’s people are leaders in the world. We strive to develop servant leaders who lead in Christ-likeness, and remain focused on God’s kingdom purposes—leaders who become agents of kingdom change in the world. Transformational servant leaders lead out of a common sense of mission and vision, unified in kingdom purpose and goals. Servant leaders seek the welfare and spiritual development of others, even as they grow and mature in the faith themselves. God’s children are called to be leaders in the world as it relates to charity, mercy, love, forgiveness, integrity and morality. We are to reflect our leader, Jesus in all we do. As leaders, we are called to a high standard, and recognize the need for accountability, encouragement and discipline.